Pad for pressing machines



AP'I' 30, 1940-v J.. s. IRVINE 2,198,520

'PAD Foa PREssING uAcHINEs Filed Oct. 21, 1936 INVENTOR By' mv A TTORNE YJ Patented Apr. 30, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFI-lcs PAD FOR PRESSING MACHINES Application October 2i,

`l Claim.

The present invention relates'to improvements in pads and coverings for flat work ironers. pressing machines and mangles, and more particularl ly to the novel use of pads and fabrics of fibrous 5 glass for such purposes.

An object of the present invention is to greatly prolongthe life of pads and covers for pressing machine platens, laundry rolls, ironing boards and mangles or the like, which may be subjected 10 to heat, steam, moisture, and other destructive elements, so as to avoid frequent shut-downs and deterioration of the pad.

Another obiect of .the invention is to provide a padding and covering for these machines which 15 are devoid of fire hazard and which will not rot or weaken under the destructive action of heat, flame, or various reagents such as greases, soaps, or othersubstances.

Another object of the invention is to provide l90 a pad and covering for these machines which possess great flexibility, high strength, and which have a high permeability for the passage of steam or other gases which may be used.

Other objects and advantages of the present 25 invention will become apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a pressing machine, the cover of which has been partially )o broken away for the sake of clarity;

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional end view of the upper platen or shoe of the pressing machine shown in Fig. 1:

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional end view of the lower as shoe or platen of the pressing machine shown in Fis. i:

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of an ironing mangle incorporating the present invention; and

Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional end view of the mano gle shown ln Fig. 4.

Heretofore in the use of paddings and coverings for pressing machines, ironers, mangies. or the like, it has been conventional to apply a soft padding material and a covering thereover of as various organic materials or fabrics such as cotton. or the like, which have a comparatively short life because of their rapid deterioration yowing to the deleterious effects of the heat, steam, and continual rough usage to which the pads and so covers are subjected. Moreover, the outer coverings were not enectively insulated from the hot steam heated ironers or platens but made a direct contact with these hot metal portions.

The present invention provides paddings and u fabrics of fibrous glass for these laundry ma- 1936, Serial No. 106.799

chinos. It has been found that fibrous glass has many advantages over the conventional pads and fabrics of the prior art. Fibrous glass may be drawn by various methods into long ne fibers which are extremely flexible and even stretchable to a certain degree. It is also possible to form interfelted masses or mats of these fine fibers. these mats being strong and flexible and possesslng a high degree of resilience and permeability. The individual fibers in these fabrics or mats are extremely strong, having been measured at tensile strengths of several hundred thousand pounds per square inch. In addition, the glass forming the fibers is no t injured, weakened, or destroyed by the heat, steam, flames or various chemicals to which these fabrics or pads may be subjected. I have found, therefore. that fibrous glass forms an excellent pad and covering material for these laundry machines.

When long fine glassvfibers are laid into a mat, it is possible to arrange all the fibers so that they all lie on top of one .another in more or less criss-cross relationship extending parallel to the face of the mat. A web of this characteristic has been found to have a high degree of resilience and yieldablllty in the direction of the thickness of the mat, and a high degree of strength and resistance to deformation in any other direction. Moreover, if a mat of this type is compressed or flattened out due to pressure being exerted on the mat, as for example, during the pressing of a garment, it will yield to all the irregularitles of the garment, and when the pressure is removed, the mat will immediately spring back and resume its original fluffy condition. For this reason, mats of this character are excellently suited to pressing machines. mangles or the like, as noted hereinabove.

Moreover, mats and fabrics of glass wool are exceedingly strong and elastic and do not require a filling agent or binders to lend permanence or resilience to the mat. Apart from incidental coating materials such as lubricants or the like upon the individual fibers to prevent mutual scratching between the fibers, the fabrics or mats do not require filling substances between the interstices of the fibers. On the contrary. these interstices are preferably left-open to increase the permeability of the mats or fabrics.

Referring more particularly to Figs. l and 3. reference character i0 designates a steam heated platen commonly used in the laundry industry. Multiple springs I I 'are mounted at the top of the platen to provide resilience and uniform vyieldabiiity over the surface of the platen. A steam chamber I2 is provided underneath the springs toadmitsteamtothetopoftheplatenthrough the open between the springs Il. A suitable covering I3 is provided over the multiple springs Il. Ihis is preferably a fabric made of glass wool, although other fabrics, of course. suchasmuslimorthe like,mayalsobeused. these latter fabrics, however, requiring constant replacement. Over the top of the cover i3 I have provided a pad il of glass wool. This fibrous glass pad il is preferably of sufncient thickness to -provide a relatively soft base or backing and to provide sumcient iiow of movement and compressibility in the material to takeup the irregularities in the garment being pressed, and yet rigid enough to establish sumcient contact and to assure uniform pressing over the entire area to be pressed, as for example, trouser seams. pockets, buttons, ox-other humps in the garment.

The glass wool pad Il overlying the metallic platen Il or the springs Il serves not only as a take-up pad for irregularities and bumps in the garment to be pressed but also serves as heat insulation for the top cover il and the garment.

Overlying the pad I4 is a thin covering Il of suitable fabric such as muslin. glass wool or the like, this material being capable of simple and speedy replacement and, therefore, may be relatively inexpe'nsive.

Thepad Il andthe covers II and Il maybe made to the proper size and contour of the platen to be insulated and covered. and may be secured in position by providing sumcient overhang around the margins, and providing these margins with staples, eyelets, hooks for lacing, or other fastening means Il as desired. The steam heated platen il coacts with an upper platen i1 which is connected by hinges I I or the like. one skilledintheartwouldreadilyunderstand. The platen il has preferably provided thereoveraglasswoolpad Il similarincharacteristics'topd Il: and overlying thepad Il is a suitable covering fabric 2l of glass wool. muslin, or the iike,asdesired. Thepad il maybe held in place by suitable bands 2l, and the cover 2l may be tied in place by laces 22'or other suitable means. i

Referring more particularly to Figs. 4 and 5, a conventional mangle embodying-the present inxvention has been illustrated. A roll or mangle 25 is covered with a pad of fibrous glass 28 which is fastened in place by suitable means 2l. Around the pad 2l may be placed a covering of suitable fabrics 2l such as glass wool cloth, or even muslin or the like, if desired. Coacting with the mangle roll 2D is a metal shoe III containing the heating element. Il of any suitable design. As is well known in the art, the material to be pressed is placed between the mangle roll 26 and the heated shoe 30 which is pressed down over the garment a predetermined degree by means of a handle I2 or other suitable means. In this embodiment, it will be noted that the glass wool pad 2| serves as an excellent backing material possessing high strength. yieldability, resistance to heat attack and wear, and accordingly may a long life. The same may be said of the top cover 28 when it has been formed of a fabric of fibrous glass as pointed out hereinabove.

Modifications may be resorted to which are within the spirit and scope of the appended claim.

I claim:

A pad for a metal pressing platen comprising a resilient, compressible integrated mat of substantiaily uniform thickness throughout. consisting of long, ilne intermatted glass fibers, and a cover sheet overlying said mat consisting of glass fibers woven into textile form, saidmat being at least several times thicker than said overlying sheet.

` JAN B.- IRVINE. 

